Emra’a wa rajol, inspired by Claude Lelouch’s Un homme et une femme (Palme d’Or winner at Cannes in 1966) and the Chanel film starring Brad Pitt and Penélope Cruz, is directed by Rana Maalouf. Featuring actors Isabelle Zighondi, Hiba Chihane, and Ziad Jallad, this 90-second film was shown at the Mir Amin Palace on September 14, 2024, followed by Lelouch’s film screening.
Photo Credit: Gaelle Saad
Inspired by Claude Lelouch’s Un homme et une femme and later by the Chanel film, Rana Maalouf decided to create a short adaptation, infusing it with her personal aesthetic and an Oriental flair. Thus, Emra’a wa rajol was born, echoing timeless, black-and-white love. The film is distinguished by subtle acting and dreamlike shots, harmonizing with the beauty of the locations and nature.
Photo Credit: Gaelle Saad
Discussing the project’s inception, Rana Maalouf shares, “I saw the Chanel video with Brad Pitt and Penelope Cruz. I sent the link to Isabelle Zighondi, who had sent it to me at the same time. The idea was born to create an Arabic version of A Man and a Woman with Lebanese actors. However, as fundraising is challenging in Lebanon, I decided to undertake this initiative and seize the opportunity.” She did not hesitate in her choice of actors; “I wanted to work with Isabelle Zighondi and also Ziad Jallad, whom I often envisioned in roles different from those he typically played. I also felt that Hiba Chihane would create a harmonious balance between the two.”
Photo Credit: Lynn Morkos
Regarding the adaptation’s style, Rana Maalouf adopted an Oriental touch. “This determined my choice of filming locations,” she says. “The film was shot at Mir Amin Palace, a historic site, and on the old road of Chekka. The musical arrangement was also created with music producer Toni Geitani, featuring Oriental tunes with instruments like the oud. Unlike the nocturnal and misty ambiance of the Lelouch and Chanel films, Emra’a wa rajol was filmed over two days during sunset. The sun chases the characters within the frame, highlighting the features of Mediterranean countries. The choice of brands was also local and the materials sustainable, such as bamboo. I also adopted the Egyptian dialect as a nod to the 1966 cinematic collaboration between Egypt and Lebanon.”
In her adaptation, Rana Maalouf was keen to maintain a balance between the male and female roles. Not adopting a perspective where the woman takes the initiative, she insinuates it and the man understands through a glance. He takes over and meets her expectations. She emphasizes this complementarity between the genders, stating, “There remains a subtlety to the Oriental woman, she doesn’t need to be explicit. A language of looks emerges, enhancing the complementarity between the two beings. Whereas in Lelouch’s film, the man leads, and in Chanel’s, the woman, I have opted for alternating between the two.”
Regarding actor direction, Ziad Jallad mentored Isabelle Zighondi in the Egyptian dialect. Rana Maalouf notes that they co-wrote the film together with the two actors. She recounts that filming was done “repetitively and continuously to maintain the action’s rhythm and then extract the best, ensuring the flow was smooth, with silences duly respected. For Isabelle Zighondi, I tried to bring out her femme fatale side at the shooting location, a side she’s usually reserved about. The result is more than satisfying.”
A promising cinematic experience.
